24/7 support
No card fees

Excellent

Buddha and Beach

12 days

Explore Dambulla Rock Temple, discover the ancient city of Polonnaruwa and visit iconic Sigiriya Rock. Sip on refreshing Ceylon tea and see Sri Lanka's famous wildlife on a jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park before heading to the idyllic beaches of Bentota for some sun, sea and relaxation.

For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes

Travelling with children or prefer being on your own, see our private version of this tour.

Free cancellation
Free amends
Available on all departures booked at least 40 days in advance. Cancel or change your booking for FREE for up to 7 days after booking

Tour Overview

Duration

12 days

Starts

Colombo

Ends

Colombo

Range

Signature

Tour Guide

Yes - escorted by a tour guide

Group Size

Min 2 / Max 24

Minimum age

15 yrs, accompanied by an adult

Departs

Saturdays

Hotel Rating

4-5 star & heritage hotels

Countries

Sri Lanka

Arrival Transfer

Yes

Departure Transfer

Yes

Meals included

Breakfast: 11, Lunch: 1
Per Person From
NZD$3,205.00
Deposit From
Final payment
NZD$1,000.00
$5,410.00

Tour Highlights

Beruwala/Bentota - Enjoy four days of R&R on the idyllic palm fringed beaches of Sri Lanka's West Coast
Colombo – Enjoy a guided tour of the city including the Old Fort area and impressive Gangaramaya Temple
Polonnaruwa - Explore the remarkable ruins of the ancient capital city of Ceylon
Sigiriya - Climb to the top of the iconic 5th century Lion Rock fortress and see the Heavenly Maidens
Dambulla - Discover over 150 images of Buddha in the incredible complex of caves at Dambulla Rock Temple
Kayanwala Village - Canoe to the village and help cook a delicious traditional lunch with a Sri Lankan family
Matale - Learn all about Sri Lanka's herbs and spices at the spice gardens in Matale
Kandy - Take in the highlights of Kandy including the famous Temple of the Tooth, enjoy a tuk tuk ride and watch a cultural performance
Nuwara Eliya - Spend a night in this highland community, referred to as 'Little England', surrounded by Central Sri Lanka's picturesque tea country hills
Ratnapura - Visit the heart of the nation's gem mining industry
Take a scenic train ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, passing waterfalls and lush tea plantations en route
Udawalawe National Park - Go in search of wildlife on a game drive in Udawalawe, home to the nation's largest herd of Asian Elephants
Giragama Tea Factory - Take a tour of a working tea factory with a long history

Included

Breakfast daily and 1 lunch
11 nights 4-5 star hotels and heritage properties
Guided sightseeing - Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, Udawalawe NP and Colombo
Scenic train journey from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, canoe and Tuk Tuk trips
Jeep safari/game drive in Udawalawe National Park
Escorted by an English speaking national guide for groups of 6 or more (professional chauffeur guide for groups of 5 or less)
Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 12
All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned tourism vehicles

Not Included

International flights and visas
Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$3-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture
Entrance Fees: USD$150-$170pp, paid in USD
Tipping Kitty: USD$50-$60pp, paid in local currency
Tipping is not a natural part of many Western cultures and many of us feel uncomfortable, or unsure, about when, or how much, to tip. However, in the places you will visit, tipping makes up a significant part of many people's wages so it's important that we get it right. For this reason we've developed a very simple system to take all the hassle out of tipping. With our 'tipping made easy' policy, a nominal pre-determined amount is collected from all group tour participants to cover tips en route. This then saves you the hassle of when and how much to tip bellhops, luggage handlers, local guides and other support staff through the tour. Our 'tipping made easy' doesn't include a tip to your group tour leader. Naturally, though, the amount is up to you as tipping is an entirely personal gesture.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Colombo - your way

Saturday. Welcome to Sri Lanka! Airport arrival transfer and the remainder of today is at leisure. Our hotel is located on the seafront and is a short walk from Galle Road and many of the city highlights. Choose to head out and independently explore, take a dip in the pool or enjoy a cocktail whilst you watch the sunset over the Laccodive Sea.

Overnight: Colombo

Day 2 - Dambulla & Polonnaruwa

Colombo - Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Dambulla. Bidding farewell to Colombo this morning we drive inland to Dambulla, stopping en route at a fruit and vegetable market in Naramwela Town. Dambulla Rock Temple is an incredible ancient complex of caves which dates back to the 1st Century BC. The five caves contain over 150 images of Buddha including an impressive 14 metre carved statue.

After exploring this ancient site, we continue to Polonnaruwa. This fascinating 11th century city is home to many interesting ruins and famous monuments including the Royal Palace and the Gal Vihara. Polonnaruwa was once the capital and is also the second most ancient city in Sri Lanka. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This evening, we return to Dambulla for an evening at leisure.

Overnight: Dambulla
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - Sigiriya

Dambulla - Sigiriya - Kandy. This morning we explore Sigiriya and the famous ‘Lion Rock’ fortress. Built over 1500 years ago, this beautiful citadel stands 200 meters high in the middle of verdant jungle and was an important stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town. It can be viewed from miles around and is definitely one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic and famous sites. You’ll be able to view the world famous paintings of the Heavenly Maidens which stand in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway.

From Sigiriya, we take a local hand tractor ride and short canoe trip to the village of Kayanwala. Here, at Kayanwala Village we take part in a cookery demonstration in a mud brick home of a local woman and enjoy a freshly prepared lunch of curry, dahl, spiced rice, pickle and more. En route to Kandy we stop at a spice garden in Matale to see the different herbs and spices, which Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed.

Overnight: Kandy
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 - Temple of the Tooth

This morning, we take a sightseeing tour of Kandy - the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and our first stop will be the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Legend has it that one of Buddha's teeth was taken from him as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was then smuggled into Sri Lanka in 313AD. It now attracts daily pilgrims who come bearing lotus flowers and frangipani. After driving around Kandy Lake - built by the last Sinhala king, we visit the local bazaar and a gem museum, we then take Tuk Tuk ride up into the surrounding hills. This afternoon we stop at the Geragama Tea Factory, manufacturing 'Low Grown' and 'Long Leaf' tea. This evening, we watch a cultural performance of traditional Sri Lankan music and dance.

Overnight: Kandy
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - Nuwara Eliya & tea plantation

Kandy - Nuwara Eliya. This morning offers free time, before transferring to the railway station for a scenic train trip. Passing kilometre upon kilometre of verdant tea plantations that hug the winding mountain passes, we'll see waterfalls, suspension bridges and tea pickers on our journey up to Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka’s most popular hill resort. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country producing a significant share of the world’s best tea.

Upon arrival we embark on a sightseeing tour of Nuwara Eliya - an area known locally as 'Little England'.

Overnight: Nuwara Eliya
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Udawalawe National Park jeep safari

Nuwara Eliya - Udawalawe National Park. Today we head south to Embilipitiya, our base for exploring Udawalawe National Park. Udawalawe is probably one of the best places to spot the famous Sri Lankan elephant, the biggest of all the Asian elephants in the wild. It is thought that there are around 400 elephants here. The park is also home to the elusive leopard, the Sri Lankan sloth bear, the cheeky langur monkey and varies types of deer. We enjoy an afternoon game drive here before returning to our hotel.

Overnight: Udawalawe National Park
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Gem mine & Colombo city tour

Udawalawe National Park - Colombo. We travel back to Colombo this morning with a visit to the Gem Mine and Museum at Ratnapura. Sri Lanka is famous for its gem industry and is home to 40 out of the 85 types of gems that exist in the world.

Arriving to Colombo, we commence a city tour, seeing the Fort area in the north of the city which is famous for its government buildings and interesting shops. We'll also see the somewhat unusual Gangarama Temple and take a stroll along Galle Face Green, a popular spot for kite flying and games of cricket.

Overnight: Colombo
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Lazy days by the beach

Colombo - Kalutara. After breakfast, we head south along Sri Lanka's idyllic West Coast to spend the final four nights relaxing by the beach in this picturesque holiday location.

Overnight: Kalutara
Meals: Breakfast

Days 9-11 - Beach, pool & sunset cocktails

Sri Lanka's beautiful palm fringed beaches are without a doubt its biggest draw cards, and once you set eyes on them you’ll understand why. Nestled on the Indian Ocean coast with warm crystal clear waters, Beruwala and the neighbouring town of Bentota offer travellers a whole host of water sports from snorkelling and scuba diving, to water skiing and surfing – the choice if yours. Indulge in a glass of Toddy – a local coconut flavoured tipple, head to the spa and opt for an Ayurveda treatment which the area is famous for, or simply while away the days on the beach with a cocktail in hand.

Overnight: Kalutara
Meals: Breakfast x3

Day 12 - Colombo

Wednesday. Kalutara - Colombo. Today our tropical island adventure comes to an end. Departure transfer to Colombo Airport for your onward international flight.

Meals: Breakfast

Tour Reviews

The tour was good - covered a lot of places & attractions but had far too much time on the bus. Full days - early starts and late finishes, would have appreciated some half-days off to take advantage of the hotel facilities. 2 nights at Jetwing Lake would be great. Akthar was a good guide.

What a fabulous experience! This tour suited me very well; we got to see some wonderful things in Sri Lanka which were very well detailed and explained by Manoj, our guide, and we had some beautiful experiences with local people and the incredible country along the way. The bus was very comfortable, and I particularly liked the way Manoj would ease us into each journey with 15-20 minutes of summation of where we'd been and description of what we were doing next, then pick up again 15 minutes before our arrival to tell of what we were going to do. He is very knowledgeable about each of the locations, has a relaxed and welcoming approach, and it was a pleasure to got to know him and our driver Opul over the duration of the tour. I felt the pacing of the tour was good; we had a good amount of time in each location to absorb its significance and beauty, and enough time to rest and exchange perspectives with one another along the way. My only criticism would be that I felt too sheltered by the lavish hotels. After the tour, I spent a week in a guesthouse in Galle and I got to know more about what it's like to actually live in Sri Lanka there than I did on the tour. While each hotel was magnificent, there were moments I really felt I was a colonial presence, wealthy and powerful beyond comparison with the local people, and, while that was a worthwhile experience to have had, it ultimately made me feel quite uncomfortable. Although that's undoubtedly an important point to help people grasp, I personally would've preferred if our stays had been a well considered combination of opulence and simplicity.

The tour was great. Guide excellent and very knowledgeable and accommodating. The highlights of the tour were the train ride, and the village visit. The worst bit was the very hard sell at the spice farm. The most disappointing part was the last 4 days at the resort. Tour title was beach, but the beach at the resort was extremely dangerous and only for walking on. The resort was not in any proximity of anything else such as shopping or other services. Lazing by the pool is okay for one day but definitely not 4. I would have preferred the last 4 days to be on a beach that we could utilise such as the east coast or even Negombo would have been better option than Blue Water. All the hotels on tour were excellent and the food really great. I also thought it interesting that the other 2 groups on the tour, both had different itineraries than us?

We had a fabulous holiday. The tour was amazing & a good balance of relaxation & excursions. Tour guide was OK but seemed quite distracted at times. Always on the phone.

Manoj was an excellent guide. He mingled well with all members of the group and put us all at ease. This was our first organised tour and first trip to Asia, so we were a bit nervous about it. Manoj gave us confidence in a strange country. He was knowledgeable about his country and provided us with plenty information on it. He was also adaptable to meet our unplanned and unscheduled needs - be it finding a toilet when we needed one ; finding a shop to buy beer; organising afternoon tea for us in the Jetwing St Andrews Hotel. He also organised cakes for those of us who were celebrating wedding anniversaries - which was such a lovely touch and made us feel special. I believe he also managed to get us upgraded hotel rooms in the Jetwing Lakeside hotel - which was absolutely fabulous and again made us all feel very special. Nothing was too much trouble for him. Manoj seemed a very organised tour guide. Paying for unlimited water was such a good idea as we went through about 4 bottles of water each a day. The tour itself was not as tiring as I thought it was going to be, despite us having a full itinerary every day. There was quite a bit of travelling in the minibus, but that was to be expected given the size of the area we had to cover. Sri Lanka is a very interesting country. The people are friendly and welcoming. The scenery was lovely. I would definitely recommend this tour.

Extras and add-ons

If you'd like to add extras or add-ons to your booking, you can do this easily during checkout. Just review the available options and select any additional services or upgrades you'd like before completing your purchase.

Pre and Post Tour Accommodation

Extend your tour with us by booking pre and post-accommodation, available at a per-person, per-night rate.

Pre-Tour Accommodation - Colombo

Double

$115per passenger

Twin

$115per passenger

Single

$195per passenger

Post-Tour Accommodation - Colombo

Double

$115per passenger

Twin

$115per passenger

Single

$195per passenger

Hotels

The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.

If you are interested in booking pre or post-tour accommodation, here are some of the hotels we typically use.

Radisson Hotel Colombo
Colombo

The Radisson Hotel Colombo (formerly OZO Colombo) is a modern and stylish hotel, with sweeping Indian Ocean views from its rooftop infinity pool and many of its rooms. There's free WIFI access throughout the hotel and the guestrooms are bright and airy with all modern amenities. To top it off, there's also a fantastic fitness centre and a restaurant serving delicious, authentic Sri Lankan cusine. The hotel is centrally located on Marine Drive, near Galle Road and just a 10 minute drive from the city centre.

Our Rating
Superior
Local Rating
4 Star Hotel
Sofia Colombo City Hotel
Colombo

Sofia Colombo City Hotel is located near Kollupitiya Beach and offers modern accommodation with excellent amenities. The hotel features an outdoor pool, a rooftop terrace with a restaurant and bar, and free WiFi throughout. At Sofia Colombo’s Seascape Restaurant, guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Indian Ocean alongside delicious meals. Additionally, guests have access to a fully equipped fitness centre, as well as 24-hour front desk and room service, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable stay for all.

Our Rating
Superior
Local Rating
4 Star Hotel
Jetwing Lake
Dambulla

The Jetwing Lake hotel is a brand new property with spacious and comfortable rooms that enjoy a contemporary design blended with splashes of Eastern influenced decor. The ensuite facilities are magnificent and in keeping with the luxurious feel of the property as a whole. Each room also comes with a balcony, from which guests can get some fresh air and enjoy the spectacular views. Within the complex there is a pool, spa and fitness centre, where guests can while away their free time. There is also a restaurant, which serves sumptuous meals.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 Star Hotel
Radisson Hotel Kandy
Kandy

The stylish Radisson Hotel Kandy (formerly OZO Kandy), prides itself on its smart facilities and stunning mountain surrounds. Its highlight being the rooftop pool where you can soak up panoramic views over Kandy whilst enjoying a cocktail or two. The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant serves a tasty array of Asian and international cuisine using only fresh and handpicked produce. Other amenities include a fitness centre and complimentary WiFi, with guestrooms boasting signature soft beds and rain showers.

Our Rating
Superior
Local Rating
4 Star Hotel
Jetwing St Andrew's
Nuwara Eliya

Jetwing St. Andrew's is a unique colonial retreat set in a former country house and surrounded by landscaped gardens. All the spacious rooms are classically furnished with elegant wood and offer free WiFi and flat-screen TVs. The grounds of the hotel give a great feel of colonial splendour and guests can wake up to a typical English breakfast and enjoy a stiff brandy at the bar later in the day. Fine dining is offered at the Old Course Restaurant and the hotel also boasts an antique snooker table, which is the oldest in Sri Lanka.

Our Rating
Superior
Local Rating
4 Star Hotel
Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort
Udawalawe National Park

Situated on 7 acres of land, the Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort is the only hotel of its class in the area. Rooms are spacious with beautiful hard wood flooring and artwork depicting the wildlife of Udawalawe. Food here is delicious and plentiful with an extensive breakfast menu. The outdoor pool is a great place to relax by and enjoy a refreshing splash in after a good day on safari. Well located just a few minutes drive from Udawalawe National Park.

Our Rating
Superior
Local Rating
4 Star Hotel
Blue Water Hotel and Spa
Kalutara

Recently re-designed by world-renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, The Blue Water Hotel and Spa offers 5 star luxury accommodation with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean. Nestled amongst the wild coconut groves of Wadduwa, The Blue Water Hotel and Spa is a laid-back paradise - perfect for recharging your batteries during a post-tour beach break. There’s a huge swimming pool surrounded by shade-giving palm trees and plenty of loungers, along with the beautiful spa inspired by ancient healing traditions. International and local dishes are served at the main restaurant which offers a casual setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner and options for both indoor and al fresco dining. There is also an à la carte restaurant at which you can sample locally caught seafood. The Blue Water has classically designed rooms and suites which combine spacious, perfectly designed interiors, with a host of luxurious amenities and offering exceptional views of the surrounding sea scape, from a private balcony and terrace.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 Star Hotel

Prices & Dates

All departure dates are guaranteed to operate when there are 2 persons booked on the tour. 'Twin/Double' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to solo travellers and anyone wanting the privacy of their own room. Room sharing is not available on this tour.

This tour is also available on a private basis - see our Best of Sri Lanka & Beach private tour.

2024
Twin/Double
Single
7 Dec - 18 Dec
Sold Out
Sold Out
14 Dec - 25 Dec
$3,415
$4,795
2025
Twin/Double
Single
4 Jan - 15 Jan
$3,205
$4,575
11 Jan - 22 Jan
$3,205
$4,575
18 Jan - 29 Jan
$3,205
$4,575
25 Jan - 5 Feb
$3,205
$4,575
1 Feb - 12 Feb
$3,205
$4,575
8 Feb - 19 Feb
$3,205
$4,575
15 Feb - 26 Feb
$3,205
$4,575
22 Feb - 5 Mar
$3,205
$4,575

Similar Tours

Explore more exciting tours in Sri Lanka to discover even more unforgettable adventures!

4.4 out of 5 based on 277 reviews